An 8-year-old girl, her mother and grandfather who were found dead in their backyard pool in New Jersey died from accidental drowning, according to the medical examiner.
Earlier it had been reported that an electrician was called to the scene to help investigate, leading to speculation that the three family members may have been electrocuted.
Authorities ruled out that possibility, however, a hidden danger with pools is their ability to conduct electricity.
The electrocution hazard is even more of an issue with “above-ground pools, because people tend to bring out extension cords or devices, whereas in-ground pools have been designed with proper outlets around them," said Jim Spears, president of Stop Drowning Now, an organization dedicated to saving lives through drowning prevention and water safety education.
As seen in one surveillance video taken at an apartment complex in Florida, a little girl goes limp after touching metal railing. Her dad also gets zapped when he touches the railing, but somehow manages to grab his daughter and yank her out of the water.
"The electrical field paralyzes you and you start shaking," said Chris Sloan, whose son was killed by an electric shock while swimming in his North Miami backyard in 2014. "He just screamed and was jolted out of the water and pulled down."
Sloan showed Inside Edition where the tragic accident happened. The pool was almost empty, exposing a corroded pool light.
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